BEIJING (AFP) - Paradorn Srichaphan stretched his Asia domination of South Korea's Hyung-taik Lee to three straight victories, rolling 6-4, 6-3 into the semi-finals of the 500,000-dollar China Open.
The sixth-seeded Paradorn from Thailand has never played Lee anywhere except in the region, with the inaugural edition of the Beijing event the top venue so far for their rivalry.
Paradorn improved his record this season to 36 wins, 22 defeats as he rained down 11 aces in the 75-minute quarter-final victory.
Paradorn previously beat the Korean in Tokyo last autumn and at a Challenger event at home in Bangkok in 2001. Lee won the first two matches in the series in 1998 and 1999.
Russian Mikhail Youzhny booked the first spot in the last four at the venue due to host the 2008 Beijing Olympic tennis event, overcoming eighth seed Dominik Hrbaty 6-4, 6-2.
The other two quarter-finals featured a pair of leading seeds, with number three Argentine David Nalbandian facing Finn Jarkko Nieminen and fifth-seed Marat Safin taking on American surprise packet Kevin Kim.
The presence of one Asian in the semi-finals bodes well for the event, which officials expect to sell out for the weekend conclusion at a stadium completed in less than half a year of construction.
The event lost top seed Carlos Moya in the first round, with Spanish compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero losing in the second round to Kim.
Both headed home to Spain for a Davis Cup semi-final next week against France.